Abstract: A well pump has a standing valve seat with a standing valve mounted in a lower end of a barrel. A plunger is carried within the barrel for axial stoking movement. A travelling seat with a travelling valve are mounted in a lower end of the plunger. The travelling valve has a head that lands on the travelling valve seat while the travelling valve is in a closed position. The travelling valve has a stem extending downward from the head through a hole in the travelling seat. The stem is a permanent magnet. Another permanent magnet is carried by the barrel below the travelling magnet. The polarities of the magnets are configured to interact and cause the travelling valve to lift relative to the travelling seat to an open position as the plunger nears a bottom of a stroke.

Abstract: A well pump has a standing valve seat with a standing valve mounted in a lower end of a barrel. A plunger is carried within the barrel for axial stoking movement. A travelling seat with a travelling valve are mounted in a lower end of the plunger. The travelling valve has a head that lands on the travelling valve seat while the travelling valve is in a closed position. The travelling valve has a stem extending downward from the head through a hole in the travelling seat. The stem is a permanent magnet. Another permanent magnet is carried by the barrel below the travelling magnet. The polarities of the magnets are configured to interact and cause the travelling valve to lift relative to the travelling seat to an open position as the plunger nears a bottom of a stroke.

Abstract: A well pump assembly includes a progressive cavity pump having a stator with an elastomeric inner portion. The stator has an axial cavity with internal lobes; a rotor with external lobes positioned within the axial cavity. An effector selectively increases and decreases a stiffness of the stator by changing a cross sectional area of the axial cavity in the stator. The effector may include a reservoir within the stator containing a fluid. A reservoir pump selectively increases and decreases a pressure of the fluid in the reservoir in response to sensing the flow rate from the progressive cavity pump and the torque of the motor. Alternately, the reservoir may contain a magneto-rheological fluid (MR fluid). A coil generates an electromagnetic field within the MR fluid to selectively increase and decrease a viscosity of the MR fluid.

Abstract: A well conveyance system couples to an uphole end of an artificial lift system and operates to push the artificial lift system through a tubing string for deployment in a wellbore. The well conveyance system includes a wellbore tractor adapted to push the artificial lift system through the tubing string and a swab cup assembly having a swab cup and a perforated nipple extending therethrough. The perforated nipple includes a nipple passage allowing for fluid flow from an area downhole from the swab cup to an area uphole from the swab cup when the wellbore tractor operates. A valve selectively blocks the perforated nipple to permit a hydraulic pressure to be applied to the tubing string uphole of the swab cup, exerting a downhole force on the swab cup to aid in deployment of the artificial lift system.

Abstract: A well conveyance system couples to an uphole end of an artificial lift system and operates to push the artificial lift system through a tubing string for deployment in a wellbore. The well conveyance system includes a wellbore tractor adapted to push the artificial lift system through the tubing string and a swab cup assembly having a swab cup and a perforated nipple extending therethrough. The perforated nipple includes a nipple passage allowing for fluid flow from an area downhole from the swab cup to an area uphole from the swab cup when the wellbore tractor operates. A valve selectively blocks the perforated nipple to permit a hydraulic pressure to be applied to the tubing string uphole of the swab cup, exerting a downhole force on the swab cup to aid in deployment of the artificial lift system.

Abstract: A submersible pump assembly has a pump and a valve connected to the outlet of the pump. An outlet of the valve is connected to a riser. A valve member in the valve housing is vertically movable between a pumping position and a priming position, the valve member being biased toward the priming position. A priming conduit connects the outlet of the valve housing to the inlet of the pump for directing well fluids flowing through the conduit into an intake of the pump for re-priming the pump. When the pump is pumping well fluid, the valve member is moved to the pumping position by the fluid pressure, well fluids flowing from the inlet of the valve housing to the outlet of the valve housing but not through the priming conduit. When pumping ceases, the valve member returns to the priming position, well fluids flowing through the priming conduit for re-priming the pump.

Abstract: “Well equipment transporting well fluid from a gassy well. A conduit is hung and sealed inside a string of casing, forcing the gas and well fluid to flow into the conduit. A gas separator and a series of flow controls and valves are mounted into and run with the conduit. A pump assembly is hung and sealed into the conduit for pumping well fluid to the surface. The pump assembly is lowered and retrieved from the conduit on tubing. The pump may be located below the motor, or above the motor.

Abstract: A submersible pump assembly has a pump and a valve connected to the outlet of the pump. An outlet of the valve is connected to a riser. A valve member in the valve housing is vertically movable between a pumping position and a priming position, the valve member being biased toward the priming position. A priming conduit connects the outlet of the valve housing to the inlet of the pump for directing well fluids flowing through the conduit into an intake of the pump for re-priming the pump. When the pump is pumping well fluid, the valve member is moved to the pumping position by the fluid pressure, well fluids flowing from the inlet of the valve housing to the outlet of the valve housing but not through the priming conduit. When pumping ceases, the valve member returns to the priming position, well fluids flowing through the priming conduit for re-priming the pump.

Abstract: Well equipment well fluid more efficiently from a gassy well. A conduit is hung and sealed inside a string of casing, forcing the gas and well fluid to flow into the conduit. A gas separator and a series of flow controls and valves are mounted into and run with the conduit. A pump assembly is hung and sealed into the conduit for pumping well fluid to the surface. The pump assembly is lowered and retrieved from the conduit on tubing. The pump may be located below the motor, or above the motor.

Abstract: A submersible pump assembly has a release adapter on a string of coiled tubing. Power cables and a hydraulic capillary tube extend through the coiled tubing to the release adapter where each terminates at a coupling. The release adapter has a locking mechanism that is located in a chamber adjacent to a fishing neck at the upper end of the pump. The locking mechanism has a collet that is latched to the fishing neck. A piston captures the collet against the neck, and is restrained from movement by shear pins. The locking mechanism is actuated from the surface by pumping hydraulic fluid down through the capillary tube to the chamber to stroke the piston downward and shear the pins. When the piston moves, the lower end of the collet releases the fishing neck and is free to be retracted axially upward into the wellbore toward the surface. As the coiled tubing lifts the release adapter away from the fishing neck, tension develops in the wires and tubing until those components detach from their respective couplings.

Abstract: A method for installing a submersible pump assembly that allows deployment in a live well under pressure. In some of the embodiments, a pressure barrier is installed in the well lower than a length of the submersible pump assembly. The submersible pump assembly is lowered on a line into the chamber, then a lubricator at the surface seals around the line by allowing the pressure barrier to be released and the submersible pump assembly to be lowered into the well to a desired depth. Preferably, there is a lower pressure barrier in the well. The upper pressure barrier may be a packer that may be collapsed and retrieved alongside the submersible pump assembly. The pressure barrier also may be a packer that is temporarily set in the well, then engaged by the submersible pump assembly, with the pump assembly and packer then being lowered as a unit to a further depth in the well.